PHOTO: ONLINE
In today's day and age, many of us who are no longer children find that everything is now electronic or digital. Children today don't play actual physical games or participate in sports like running, jumping, cricket, hockey and football and so on as much as they play all these games on the X-box, iPad or the mobile phone.
It was different when those in their 30s and 40s were growing up; just a generation ago, games played often entailed vigorous physical movement and exercise, which is much more preferable than sitting on the couch all day long and playing a video game.
Here are 11 Desi childhood games that today's kids are unlikely to play:
1. Carom
PHOTO: DHAKA TRIBUNE
At one time, teenagers would play at carom 'clubs' specifically set up for this purpose, especially in Karachi and Lahore -- you would have to get boric powder for the board and learn the intricacies of how to take as many 'goatees' in one 'baari'.
2. Kho kho
PHOTO: SPORT KID NET
A team game that would involve a lot of running around.
3. Baraf paani
PHOTO: APP
Literally 'Ice, Water'. In this game, there would be one ‘den’ who would set out to ‘freeze’ his opponents.
4. Pitthu
PHOTO: ONLINE
You would have to first find a 'gamla' (with apologies to Imran Khan), break it into several pieces and then stack these up in towers of seven. You would also need a tennis ball and then play by making two teams.
5. Dark Room
PHOTO: ONLINE
How many of you remember playing this as a kid? This was basically hide-and-seek but adapted to playing in a room that was pitch dark.
6. Ludo
PHOTO: ONLINE
A classic that maybe our parents even played when growing up -- kids, if they play it at all, these days, usually do it on the iPad.
7. Oonch Neech
PHOTO: INDIA DAILY
(Literally 'Up Down') This involved one person catching the others who all could take refuge on a surface that was above the ground. Could even be played in the bedroom, with the bed, chairs, furniture etc being used as 'oonch' by players.
8. Langri Pala
PHOTO: REUTERS
Catching others with one leg raised.
9. Pakran Pakrai
PHOTO: APP
A game that involved a lot of running around and basically catching others.
10. Safe Safe
PHOTO: AFP
Two teams -- one would catch the other team and take them to a place called 'Safe' -- other teams members not caught could raid the 'Safe' and free others by saying 'Safe Safe'.
11. Chhupan Chhupai
PHOTO: STORY BABA
The desi kids version of 'hide and seek'.
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